Federal money funds helping West Jordan residents

May 21, 2018 10:40AM
● Published by City Journals Staff

(Pexels)

By Erin Dixon |
erin@mycityjournals.com

West Jordan is a recipient of the federal program called the
Community Development Block Grant, or CDBG. It is a fund that is provided to
cities with more than 50,000 residents to aid city programs such as nonprofits
and infrastructure development.

During the May 9 city council meeting, Charles Tarver, grant
and CDBG manager, presented to the council the recommended allocation of those
funds for the fiscal year 2018–2019.

Applicants submit requests and complete interviews with the
CDBG council before the allocation of funds is granted. The funds available to
the city this year is $707,606. Organizations supported by West Jordan City
range from the Crisis Nursery, operated by the Family Support Center, to the
South Valley Emergency Food Pantry and the Road Home.

The money can be taken as a loan for large projects and make
yearly payments within their given budget.

“The city of West Jordan has two more payments on the
section 108 loan for $190,000, which is for the West Jordan Senior Center,”
Tarver said. “In two years, that will be paid in full after 20 years. We’ll
have an additional $190,000 at that point to allocate each year.”

There are grants available for low-income residents for home
repairs.

“The program is designed to address emergency home repairs
and ADA access improvements to help keep residents in their homes,” Tarver
said. “Most recipients are single, usually on a fixed income with no means of
making the needed repairs. The majority of the repairs are for plumbing,
roofing, heating and access improvements.”

Money is also used to assist individuals, elderly or
handicapped find housing at a zero percent interest rate. The housing
rehabilitation fund is ultimately self-funded.

“Every housing rehab loan that we make to people in West
Jordan—they either pay it back when they sell the home or pass away,” Tarver
said. “If they’re under 62, we set up a repayment schedule for them. We’re
revamping the program this year because of the excessive price of housing,
based on eligibility.”

Funds are generally sufficient, but because materials and
repair costs are rising, the expense is increasing.

One recipient of the CDBG grant is the Utah Community
Action. They help low-income citizens regain self-sufficiency. Housing manager
Tony Milner gave details of where the money will be going.

“The funding from the CDBG is going to be helping with one
of our food pantries, as well as our rent assistance program,” Milner said. “With
our food pantry, we’ll serve about 12,000 households a year with about 6
million pounds of food. With our housing case management program, we’re serving
individuals who are either currently homeless or about to be homeless…We
intervene with case management and rent assistance. Both clientele that we’re
serving are very vulnerable; they are seniors, they are disabled, they are
young families. Utah Community Action is receiving $16,000 in total from CDBG
this year.

Residents desiring aid can call ASSIST directly at 801-355-7085
for an appointment.

The proposed budget for the
Community Development Block Grant was approved by city council in a vote 7-0 in
favor.